USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, from the close of the revolutionary war to July, 1880 > Part 56
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The Baltimore & Ohio road, the Lake Erie & Louisville road, the Columbus & Toledo road, and the Ohio Central, formerly called the Atlantic & Lake Erie railroad, pass through Fostoria. The Mansfield, Coldwater & Lake Michigan railroad had been finished to this place also, but for some reason the iron was taken up again and the track abandoned.
The town of Rome was incorporated by an act of the legislature passed February 19th, 1851.
John F. Morse was then speaker of the house of representatives, and Charles C. Converse speaker of the senate.
On the 2d day of September, 1853, a petition was signed by William Braden, Thomas Brian, H. I. Vosburgh, W. Weaver, A. S. Bement, E. F. Robinson, Ch. Bonnell, John O. Albert, Reuben Brian, I. M. Coe, John Wilson, George Gear, Lyman Kittel, Daniel Free, Abr. Metz, Robert Doke, E. Bement, E. W. Thomas, D. D. Miller, H. W. Cole, James Lewis, Umphrey England and John M. Stewart, who appointed William Braden to act in their behalf, directed to the commissioners of Seneca county, praying that the west half of the northwest quarter of section six, in Loudon township, may be attached to Rome. The order was granted on the 2d day of January, 1854, and Rome and Ris- don thereby became one town.
Mr. Stewart, in his atlas of Seneca county, speaking of Rome, says the consolidation took place in 1856, and in his biographical sketch of Mr. C. W. Foster, says it took place in 1852. If he had guessed half way between the two dates he would have been nearer right.
The act of incorporation of Rome by the legislature had twenty-nine long sections, and gave the town all sorts of municipal power. The town would have been ruined by taxation had these powers all been exercised.
Joel W. Wilson was then in the senate, and Jacob Decker in the house of representatives.
The early settlers in Loudon were men of great sagacity. They saw in the near future the wealth that this township must necessarily de- velop from the richness of its soil, being well watered and timbered.
In 1840 the population of the township was 763; in 1850 it was 1,781 ;
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in 1860 it had increased to 2,465; in 1870 it was 3,133, out of which 2,736 were native born; in 1880 it is 1,277, exclusive of Fostoria.
Fostoria proper, in 1870, had a population of 1.733. My old friend Jacob C. Millhime, Esq., who has just finished his work as census enu- merator of Fostoria, makes the population of Fostoria for 1880 to num- ber 3,045, exclusive of the portion in Jackson township and Hancock county, which, being added, makes Fostoria proper number 4,111.
CHARLES W. FOSTER.
It is not only a remarkable fact that here in America the best men are the self-made men, but the fact seems to be the result of our peculiar form of government and the fruit of her free institutions. It requires no hereditary title here to become distinguished among men. A goodly . share of common sense, good health, proper deportment, industry, energy, integrity, all well combined and backed by a reasonable quan- tity of will power, have enabled thousands of men in all avenues of human life to outstrip their fellows and reach the goal of both fame and fortune. Our beautiful school system and our higher institutions of learning are truly the pride of our state; but for success in life, an ounce of sound, mother wit is worth more than a pound of book learn- ing. The great contributors to the sciences; the plotting calculators and thinkers and searchers, generally die poor.
The subject of this sketch belongs to that class of men who, when they know that their plans are right, depend upon perseverance for success.
He was born in Brookfield, Worcester county, Massachusetts, on the 2 Ist of November, 1800. His father moved with his family to western New York, then sparsely settled, and located near Rochester, in 1820.
A gentleman by the name of John Crocker moved to Seneca town- ship, in this county of Seneca, in 1824. Two years thereafter, in 1826, Mr. Foster also came to Seneca township to see Mr. Crocker's family, and especially his beautiful daughter, Laura. It seems that there had been some understanding between the young people before Mr. Crocker left New York.
When Mr. Foster arrived here, he found Miss Laura in bad health and took her to the Saratoga Springs, in New York, where she remained some time and was restored to good health. She then visited her uncle, James Richardson, who lived some thirty miles from the springs, and here the young people were married on the 7th of June, 1827. They then came to Seneca and lived with the Crocker family. Here Mr. Foster worked on the farm of his father-in-law two years, when he
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moved to the Wolf creek, three miles north of Tiffin, where he had 160 acres in section eleven, in Hopewell, and which he afterwards sold to George Shedenhelm, by whose name it is known to this day. It was then all in the woods and required work to clear it and found a home. Mr. Foster had also another eighty-acre lot at that time. He sold all his land, and with the proceeds of these sales, he and his father-in-law, who had more means, opened a stock of goods in a cabin in Rome, on the same spot where the Foster block now stands. This was in 1832. The business of the firm was carried on in the firm name of Foster & Crocker. Ten years thereafter, when the concern had already assumed large proportions, Mr. Crocker withdrew from it, taking away merely the amount he had put in, and leaving Mr. Foster alone in the posses- sion and control of the constantly increasing business. Thus he con- tinued until his son, Charles, had grown up to nearly man's estate, and who, in his youth, developed a remarkable faculty for business. This feature in the nature of young Charles was inherited and then improved by education, experience and practice. It sustained him in his suc- cesses when he became ambitious and turned politician, for in the management of a political campaign, from a business standpoint, Gov - ernor Foster has no superior anywhere.
In 1848, when his son was about twenty years of age, Mr. Foster took him as a partner in business, and the firm of Foster & Son increased the growing fame of the house which continued thus six years, when another accession was made, and Mr. Olmsted became a partner. It was then Foster, Olmsted & Co., and continues so still as a grain firm. The store proper is conducted in the firm name of Foster & Snyder Brothers.
Mrs. Crocker died in 1850, and John Crocker in 1854. They lie buried in the Fostoria cemetery. Roswell Crocker, a brother of Mrs. C. W. Foster, is still living in Fostoria, as is also his wife, Sarah Ann, who is a daughter of John Cooper, Esq.
Mr. and Mrs. Foster were the parents of five children, of whom their son, Charles, is the only one living.
When Mr. Foster started here in the woods, forty-eight years ago, his and Mr. Crocker's combined capital in trade did not exceed $2,000, and their annual sales not $3,000. The trade was principally barter for skins and furs. The house now has a stock of about $80,000, and their annual sales reach near $150,000. Including the outside business of the firm in wool, grain, lumber, etc., they handle over a million of cash annually.
Mr. Foster's manner of business was of that pleasant and manly
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character that won him friends who constantly increased in number. He kept out of litigation and lived up promptly to his contracts. All this tended to secure him the confidence of the community. Any per- son who was able to secure Mr. Foster's good opinion, could get credit with him, and at times men owed him more money than they were worth. He could have sold out hundreds of them for debts they owed him at the time, had he so willed, and utterly ruined them; very many of them are now among the substantial men in the country.
The house of Foster has contributed largely to every enterprise that was calculated to build up the town and country. Their sagacity, fore- sight and promptitude in business have not only stamped their own in- dividualities upon the community, but have also inspired others to enter- prise and practical business life, so that now, while the Foster house enjoys its great wealth, the community at large is greatly benefited and in about the same proportions to its constant increase in wealth and business.
Mr. Foster, now nearly four score years, is still enjoying the society . of his wife and a host of friends. His health is good and he promises fair to become a centennarian. It is a pleasure to see him on the street every day engaged in familiar, friendly conversation, cracking his old jokes and having a kind word for everybody. And it is still more pleasant to notice the kind, friendly and almost filial affection the peo- ple of Fostoria, young and old, seem to entertain for him. There is something besides wealth that creates happiness. A man who has nothing but money is poor, indeed.
CHARLES FOSTER
Was born on the old Crocker place, at his grandfather's house, in Seneca township, on the 12th day of April, 1828. In 1854 he was married to Annie, a daugter of Judge Olmsted, of Fremont, Sandusky county, Ohio. Their union was blessed with two daughters, Jessie and Annie. He entered into business with'his father when he was but a boy, and is still associated with, and is the new life of, the concern.
In 1870 Mr. Foster was elected a member of the 42d congress, from the roth district. He was re-elected in 1872. His attack upon the Sanborn contract and his conflict with General Butler in debate, brought him very popularly before the country. He was re-elected in 1874; and again in 1876. He was nominated again in 1878, but the district having Been changed and made so overwhelmingly Democratic, that he was defeated. In October, 1879, he was elected governor of the state. If, at the Chicago convention that nominated General Garfield
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for the presidency, Mr. Blaine had been nominated, Mr. Foster would, undoubtedly, have been nominated for vice-president. The Republi- can party would thus have put into the field a ticket more formidable than that of Garfield and Arthur, to say the least of it.
It is a fact worth recording that while the city of Tiffin is named after the first governor of Ohio, the city of Fostoria is named after the last governor of Ohio, and a native of old Seneca. Excellent likenesses in fine steel engravings of both these illustrious gentlemen adorn the pages of this book. Let me say, without vanity, that I am proud of the co- incident. The like of this fact will never be written again.
Tiffin is the only county seat in Ohio named after its first governor, and while this history of Seneca county is being written, a native of Seneca and one of its most honored sons is the chief executive of the state; pre- siding over three millions of freemen, forming a state whose resources for wealth and human happiness are inexhaustible; whose climate is unsurpassible; whose intelligence and system of education are the admi- ration of the age in which we live.
MARTIN KINGSEED.
Among the distinguished business men of Fostoria is also my esteemed old friend, Martin, the subject of this sketch, and I am only conferring a great pleasure upon myself when writing a short story of his life. We were boys, frequently meeting each other in Germany, and before we had grown up to be men, found ourselves in the woods of Seneca coun- ty, where we have fought the battles of life, each his own way, as best we could. Here we have spent the morning, noon-tide and afternoon of our manhood days in friendship and mutual regard that grows warm- er as the evening begins to draw long shadows on the wayside.
Martin was about seventeen years old when his father settled in the woods of Seneca in 1834. He took hold of the work necessary to open up a clearing and starting a home in the woods, with a will. Being endowed by nature with a strong, healthy body and a head of his own, he soon made himself useful all around and worked at home until he was 25 years old. After the death of his mother he started to work for Henry St. John, at a saw mill on the river. Here he remained six years in succession. In 1847 he came very near losing his life: a large log was being rolled into the mill; he fell in front of it, when the log rolled onto him from his feet to his breast and back again. He was carried out of the mill, apparently lifeless, by John Kerr and Mr. McAllister, who happened to be near. Mr. Kerr was a Thompsonian physician at that time, and applying his skill, restored his patient in a short time.
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This was on the 2d of January, and on the 6th of May following, he was found under another log at 1 o'clock A. M., which laid him up for some time, and the effects of which he feels to this day He quit the saw mill and looked for lighter work, being now disqualified to do hard work; he assisted in the survey of the railroad from Bellefontaine to U'nion City for nine months.
On September 17, 1850, he was married to Elmira Emily Noel (who was born June 19, 1826, in Frederick county, Maryland), and located in Tiffin, where he bought a house near the railroad, on Clay street. Here he entered the store of John G. Gross as clerk, selling hardware and studying the laws of trade in that line for six years. Then he traded his property in Tiffin to Mr. Gross for a stock of hardware he then had in Rome, and moved there in October, 1855. His is now the oldest un- changed mercantile establishment in Fostoria.
Martin was born November 19, 1817.
He is the father of eight children, four sons and four daughters, seven of whom are living. Charles Edwin is traveling for Messrs. McIntosh, . Good & Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Francis Dorwin is clerk in his father's store. Some of the daughters are keeping house for their father, and the younger children are going to school. Mr. Kingseed lived very happily with his family until on the 7th day of February, 1877, when Mrs. Kingseed died after a short illness of a few days. The oldest daughters are young ladies now and seek to make the life of their hon- ored father as happy as it is in their power to do, but there is that vacant chair, and the absence of that mother's smile, which always cheered the whole household.
During the twenty-five years that Mr. Kingseed has prosecuted his business here, Fostoria has made a great change and made more rapid progress than any other inland town in Ohio.
Michael Noel, the father of Mrs. Kingseed, died April 11, 1870, and Mrs. Noel April 17, 1878.
In conclusion, I wish to add, that no citizen in Fostoria is more gen- erally esteemed than Martin Kingseed.
RESIDENT LAWYERS IN FOSTORIA, BEING MEMBERS OF THE TIFFIN BAR.
JUNIUS V. JONES
Was born January 23, 1823, in Gallia county, Ohio. His father moved with his family to Wood county, Ohio, in 1832, where Junius was raised to manhood. In 1846 he came to Fostoria, where he held the office of justice of the peace fifteen years. He read law and was admitted to
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practice in 1868 in Tiffin, and opened an office in Fostoria. He was also admitted to practice in the courts of the United States in 1878.
He was married in 1846, and had seven children, six boys and one girl; all living.
It seems that sometimes the muses take possession of the thoughts of the Squire, and in one of these spells the following poetical effusion of an Indian legend on the Maumee was produced. I give it here with friend Jones' note:
· FOSTORIA, Omo, March 4, 1850.
DEAR JUDGE: In reading this week's installment of your History of Seneca County, I found you had got General Wayne to Defiance, where, in fancy, I suggested the theme for my poem, written some years ago, entitled THE INDIAN MAIDEN.
A LEGEND. By J. V. Jones. I. In days long ago, in the depths of the wild, When the woods rang with shouts of the joyous and free, .
An Indian maid. with the voice of a child.
Fondly played on the banks of the pleasant Manmee.
II.
"Twas far in the past, in the long, long ago, In the days of her mirth and youthful glee,
This Indian maiden was oft seen to row,
On the moonlit waters of the pleasant Maumee.
· III.
One pale, moonlight night, near the smooth flowing river, She stole from her wigwam, with heart light and free, To meet her dark lover, with arrows and quiver.
To rove on the banks of the pleasant Maumee.
IV.
Her bark moved in silence on the dark, flowing river, In search of her lover so anxious to see;
No thought for a moment that he would deceive her, As she stole near the banks of the pleasant Maumee.
V.
But hark ! what is that ? the pale face is coming; She thought of her lover; could she warn him to flee ?
But the conflict was sharp, and the camp-fires were burning. Where her lover was slain, near the pleasant Mamnee.
VI.
Each year, just at autumn, when the green leaves are fading, When the soft winds are sighing o'er woodland and lea, The pale phantom ghost of this Indian maiden,
Is seen near the banks of the pleasant Maumee.
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Squire Jones (as he is familiarly called) once said to the writer: "All the schooling I ever had was attending the school taught by the Hon. Warren P. Noble."
WILLIAM J. SCHAUFELBERGER
Was born January 29, 1853, at Fostoria, Ohio; graduated from Heidel- berg college in the class of 1875; studied law in the office of Judge Seney; was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1877 and located here in January, 1878.
ALEXANDER BROWN
(Brown & Guernsey) was born in Perry county, Ohio, May 27, 1832; admitted to the bar in 1864, located first at Perrysburg, Wood, county, Ohio, and then in Fostoria in the fall of 1872.'
.WILLIAM J. RIGBY
(Rigby & Bever) was born at Fairfield county, Ohio, May 22, 1815; was admitted to the bar in 1860; located in Fostoria in 1867 and is at present the mayor of the city.
CHARLES GUERNSEY
(Brown & Guernsey) was born in Wood county, Ohio, January 31, 1858; admitted to the bar July 11, 1879; located at Fostoria immedi- ately thereafter. On the 31st of January, 188o, he was married to Miss Mina G. Brown, of Fostoria.
J. M. BEVER
(Rigby & Bever) was born December 9, 1853, in Eden township, in this county; graduated at Otterbin University of Westerville, Ohio; he was admitted to practice law April 11, 1878, and immediately located in Fostoria. He was married July 10, 1878, to Miss S. J. Rugg.
DAVID H. EVERITT
Was born in Franklin county, Ohio, February 6, 1849; was admitted to the bar in October, 1871; located first in Kenton, Ohio, then in Fos- toria in 1874. He was elected justice of the peace in 1878.
JOHN B. BARNES
Was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, June 20, 1846; admitted to the bar May 3, 1870; located first at Letonia, Columbiana county, Ohio, December 1, 1870 and in Fostoria October 18, 1877.
JOHN A. BRADNER
Was born at Niagara Falls, New York, August 13, 1833. He came to Ohio in 1849, and located in Fostoria in 1863. He was admitted to the bar in 1879. During the past twelve years he held the office of justice of the peace.
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DAVID HAYS
Was born December 19, 1819, in Beaver couety, Pennsylvania; admit- ted to the bar in 1860 and located in' Fostoria in 1837.
FOSTORIA ACADEMY.
This institution is in charge of the conference of the United Breth- ren in Christ, in northwestern Ohio. At their conference, held in 1878, the subject of locating an academy somewhere in northwestern Ohio was suggested, and the Rev. Isaac Crouse, a minister of the order, re- siding in Fostoria, urged the propriety of, and succeeded in having the Academy located at this place, on condition that Fostoria will sub- scribe and pay $20,000, or furnish suitable buildings and grounds for such purposes to the value of $20,000. The people subscribed the re- quired sum, Governor Foster assuming one-fifth of the whole subscrip- tion. Thereupon the conference met and appointed the following boards, viz:
TRUSTEES.
President-Rev. L. Moore.
Vice-President-Rev. D. R. Miller.
Secretary-Rev. Isaac Crouse.
Rev. A. Rose, Rev. A. Powell, Rev. S. J. Harbaugh, Governor Foster. M. Saltzman, J. M. Bever, R. C. Bennett. Jesse Bower and J. G. Oberholtzer.'
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Rev. A. Rose, Captain F. R. Stewart, M Saltzman, J. M. Bever and Jesse Bower.
BUILDING COMMITTEE
Rev. A. Rose, Captain F. R. Stewart, Rev. R. French, N. Saltzman and J. M. Bever.
The architectural design of the academy is very creditable, in fact, beautiful, and a great accession to Fostoria, indeed. The board of trustees, at their late meeting, commended the executive and building committees for their good management and economy.
The school was begun in the fall' of 1879, with about sixty students. Pending the completion of the academy building, the executive com - mittee rented the old Union school house, where their school was con - tinned for one year. The next session will open in the academy August 31, 1880, and promises to be well attended.
FACULTY.
Principal -- Rev. W. T. Jackson. Ph. D .- Language and Higher Mathematics. History and English- E. L. Shuey, A. B. Science and Mathematics-Mrs. L. A. Macklin. B. S. Principal Commercial Department - Rev. I. Crouse.
Voral and Instrumental Music-A. W. Kelley. M. A. Librarian -E. L. Shuey, A. B.
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THE UNION SCHOOL BUILDING
Is a beauty in its appearance outside, situated on most eligible and delightful grounds, and the inside arrangement is said to be one of the best of any school house in northern Ohio. The Union schools of Fostoria are under the care of an efficient board of directors and the superintendent is one of the distinguished educators of Ohio.
Number of children enumerated. 1.011
.. enrolled. 694
66
.. in average monthly attendance 563
.. in * daily 489
in the Catholic school. 70
The school grounds embrace five acres on the north side of High street, and were purchased at a cost of $7,500. The building was put up at an expense of $22,500. The heating apparatus and furniture cost about $5,000-$35,000 in all.
The following gentlemen constitute the present school board:
President-R. C. Caples.
Secretary-Simpson Jones.
Treasurer-John E. Wilkison.
William H. Grapes, A. S. Williams and J. F. Richart.
INSTRUCTORS.
SALARY.
Superintendent-E. J. Hartley $1,400
Teacher in High school-C. T. Abbott. 600
Assistant teacher in High school-Tina Thomas 342
Teacher in First Primary school-James Hays. ... 405
Assistant teacher in First Primary school-Emma L. May 315
Teacher in Grammar school-A. B. Hays. 300
SECOND PRIMARY.
SALARY.
F. W. Boley $300
Kate Owen 300
Emma Shaw 300
Mary Gordon 300
Nelly Ballard 300
Mary Clark
300
L. V. Hendershott 300
THE OPERA HOUSE
In Fostoria adds very much to the appearance of the town and helps to give it the air of a young, growing city. It was put up at a cost of $30,- 000. Its large hall, 66x100 feet, is lit by gas. The lower story is occu- pied by three splendid stores. The second and third stories form the opera house proper.
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Mr. John Andes, the owner and builder, is a native of Seigelbach, near Kaiserslautern, in the Palatinate of Germany, where he was born August 14, 1835. He came to Tiffin in 1852 and established himself in the carriage business in Fostoria, in 1860. In 1862 he was married to Miss Philipina Reis. He is a fair specimen of a self-made man.
OTHER INDUSTRIES OF FOSTORIA.
Dry goods-Foster & Snyder, Weaver & Adams, L. J. Hissong, C. D. Scott & Co., B. F. Fosty.
Clothing-John Wagner, J. F. Ensminger.
Hardware-M. Kingseed, N. Poits & Co.
Stoves and tinware-F. R. Stewart, D. S. Boyd & Co., R. Alcott, Schatzell & Faulhaber.
Groceries and provisions-R. Crocker, N. Burtcher, James Quinn, S. Starn & Son, I. N. Mickey, John Lenhart, S. O. Slosser, G. A. Fall, D. M. Snyder, G. A. Shrey, M. E. Morgan, Wilson Brothers, Wm. Fisher, John Godfrey, Beamish & McCarthy. Weisbangh & Guernsey, J. G. Strawman.
Bakeries-G. A. Fall, James Quinn, Wm. Fisher.
Drug stores-Eshelman & Harbaugh, Charles Hays & Co., Fritcher & Shaufelberger. Mussetter & Wolfe.
There are also 12 saloons, 3 billiard rooms, 4 meat markets. 2 flouring mills. 2 saw mills, 2 planing mills, I spoke factory.
Cunningham & Co. employ 25 men.
The Fostoria Stave and Barrel Co. employ 35 men.
Foundries and machine works-Ports, Manecka & Co., T. B. Jacobs, Doe, Evenbeck & Co.
Wagon and carriage works-B. M. Myers, John Andes. Wm. Mergun- thaler, Billyard & Huth, Ernest & Dale, A. T. McDonel, Doke & Ersig.
Fostoria Novelty Works-Tingle & Bower, proprietors.
Cigar manufacturers-F. JJ. Kinnaman, Fred Schultz.
Restaurants-Lon. Cunningham, F. H. Gibbons. R. Cooper.
Dentists-Dr. C. E. Davis, Howell & O'Brien.
Banks-Foster & Co. (C. W. Foster, C. Foster, J. E. Wilkinson).
Elevators-Foster, Olmsted & Co., Brown, Nichols & Co.
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